Got a cisco switch. I'm guessing that the switch is corrupt, but wanted to rule out that its not a serial port config change. Here is what I am getting on my console as an example:

"Fÿ@?IÿIÒ@TnìBµ ýp"pÔsÿ/HtÀ`ýÿÕ üi¢Õ~?ý$ý¥Äß&þâÁ@"hdõIýÿe(Ô!ä&=¨ÔÍ$

The default config for serial is 9600 81N.

Does anyone have a way to auto detect serial configuration? For example a program that will run through all the ways you can configure a serial port and help you figure out how your terminal needs to be configured?

12 Replies

I would consult the cisco manual for that switch. I believe it outlines what the settings need to be (I had to go through that the last time I played inside one anyway). 9600 is the speed I'm using to log into ours (Had to check tho). I would see if you can factory reset the switch and see if that clears your communication errors up.

All of the Cisco switches at my house and the Dell Switches here at work use :

9600 baud rate, eight data bits, no

parity, one stop bit, and no flow control

You are absolutely right. The Cisco 3750's I have here use 9600 baud rate, eight data bits, no parity, one stop bit, and no flow control. The HP Procurve I have at home uses the same.

When I pulled the Cisco SGE 2000 out of the box, and went to configure it. I used the above settings, which did not work. I looked in the quick start guide, and it indicated that the settings were 115200, 8 data bits, no parity, one stop bit, and no flow control.

I know what the serial settings are configured. (as I stated in my original post) But on a switch who's settings are unknown I need a way to have a program quickly search each setting and help me find the correct one.

I figured out the issue after some trial and error. Since I got junk characters I knew either the switch is hosed or the serial settings where changed. I was right... the serial port was changed. Someone changed it to 115200. Apparently the last admin to touch it had to load the IOS image through the console cable, hence why the baud rate is so much higher.